Room to Spare

What do you do with that extra room in the house? The one that has no real purpose except to collect things? What to do with a spare room:

1. Dump the junk- Don’t waste that spare room with an accumulation of junk.

2. Guestroom– Create a spa-like retreat for your guests.

3. Craft or hobby room– You finally have a place to do your scrapbooking, sewing, or painting!

4. Gifting- Have a room just for gift giving. Keep ribbons, gift bags, tags, and wrapping paper in the room along with any items you have purchased ahead of time for gifts.

5. Exercise room- This does not mean you have to have all the big equipment that you find at a gym, but if the area is designated as a workout space, you are more likely to do your yoga, palates, and strength training.

6. Home office- Instead of letting paper pile up on your coffee table or kitchen counter, set up an area to pay bills and answer mail.

7. Mediation room– Oh, to have some peace and quiet…create it! Don’t allow anything in this area that doesn’t bring you peace and tranquility.

8. Room to spare, room to share– create that media room, music, pool, puzzle, card or board game room and invite friends over for a night of fun and hospitality.

9. Renovators rescue- Use the empty room as the spare room to hold addition furniture, etc. when you are renovating.

Take the next steps today to give that spare room some real purpose and turn it into a room that will give you a feeling of satisfaction and relaxation.

Dreaming of a Good Night’s Sleep – 8 Tips to Create a Restful Sleep

If you are tired of tossing and turning, follow these 7 tips to enjoy an uninterrupted night of shut eye.
1) Organizing yourself the night before can help to alleviate stress allowing you to benefit from a more restful sleep.
2) Wash your bedding and sleepwear regularly.
3) Try not to exercise right before you go to bed.
4) It is important to try to cut back on all caffeine products, but especially be mindful of your consumption before bedtime.
5) Give yourself enough time to get a pleasant and relaxing sleep.
6) Try to watch something light hearted on television before you go to bed, listen to soft music or read a calming book.

7) Too much light may be keeping you awake. Dim the lights an hour before bedtime to prepare your mind.
8) Try deep breathing while counting sheep. Try counting your breaths.
By following these suggestions, you will see an improvement in your sleep patterns and wake up feeling refreshed.

Calling All Cell Phone Users - Show Proper Etiquette

Here are a few courtesy ideas to show others before dialing those digits or answering those rings.

If you are in an enclosed area, keep your voice down or keep off the phone altogether.

Get in the habit of checking to see that your phone is turned off, or on vibrate before going into the meeting, restaurant or theater.

Keep your phone out of sight while driving so you will not be tempted to make a call.
When on a cell phone, don’t talk louder than you would on a land line.
Keep all calls concise and to the point.
Eliminate phone calls that are solely made to showcase your cell.

Are the Winter Blues Getting You Down?

It’s cold outside and everyone is spending a little more time indoors. When it’s too cold to leave your office why not grab lunch at your desk and assign that time to work on an organizing project.

Take the opportunity to work on your files. Here are a few tips:

1. Every time you start a new project, create a file folder for it. Get rid of those piles.

2. Staple relevant materials together. Paperclips tend to catch on other papers within the file.

3. Color code your files. Use color to designate your priority tasks or client files, so that you can quickly search your files by scanning for a specific color.

4. Keep files thin. Whenever you have to retrieve something, spend a few minutes tossing out paperwork that you no longer need.

5. When placing a file back in the cabinet always look in the folder before and after and do a quick purge.